1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector for establishing a signal and power interconnection between orthogonal printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,518 discloses a backplane/daughterboard connector comprising two mating connector halves with mating signal pins and signal receptacles. That connector is intended to provide for the transmission of high frequency electrical signals. Ground contacts are provided adjacent the sidewalls of the housing and adjacent one of the plurality of rows of signal contacts.
The high density controlled impedance connector shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 096,792 filed Sept. 11, 1987, a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 866,518 filed May 23, 1986, now abandoned, discloses another connector for establishing an electrical connection between signal pins in which frequency applications. Unlike the connector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,518, the connector shown in this last mentioned application provides not only for the interconnection of a plurality of signal contacts without significant changes in impedance, but also provides a means for transmitting power between a motherboard and an orthogonal daughterboard. As the density of contacts in a backplane increases, the problem of delivering adequate power to the printed circuit board also multiplies. That problem is not addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,518. However, in the previously filed application assigned to the Assignee of the instant application, the controlled impedance for the closely space signals is provided for by use of a cast metal housing which provides a ground plane equally spaced from the individual pins. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,518, which relies upon a separate ground plane, does not position the ground plane in the same fixed dimensional relationship relative to each of the signal contacts.
The instant invention, like U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,518, uses a separate conductive ground contact in an insulative housing, unlike the cast housing of the previously filed application, commonly assigned. The instant invention provides intermating ground members dispersed between a plurality of signal pins such that the spacing remains substantially the same. The substantially constant signal to ground distance thus results in a connector which is virtually transparent in the sense that signals transmitted through the connector are substantially unaffected.